Youth group urges Gov Emmanuel to refund 2015 campaign expenses

A youth political support group known as Ibom National Youth Support Network has threatened to withdraw its support for Governor Udom Emmanuel if he could not refund expenses it incurred during the 2015 governorship campaigns. The group also threatened to lead thousands of its members on a mass defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the governor fails to refund the sum of five million, three hundred and sixty thousand naira (N5,360,000.00). In a letter dated 12th September, 2017, signed by its Director Media/Publicity, Mfon Eyo Okon and addressed to Governor Udom Emmanuel, the group claimed that the governor has not redeemed other promises he made to it during the 2015 campaigns. The letter is titled ”Appeal for Assistance in the Refund of N5,360,000.00 (Five Million Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira) Expended During the 2015 Governorship Election Campaign of Deacon Udom Emmanuel’. In the letter which was made available to our correspondent in Uyo yesterday, the INYSN said it spent the money on radio jingles, newspaper advertisements, printing of campaign materials, hiring of buses, mobilization/empowerment of youths across the state among others subheads. ”We humbly write to intimate your Excellency of our participation and financial involvement during the 2015 Governorship Election campaign as acknowledged, received and signed by the representative of the Governor (the then SSG and candidate of the PDP). ”Your Excellency, our programmes and activities towards the expansion of your electioneering campaign, thus, culminating in the short listing of our national president, Comrade Micah Jumbo into the ”AKS PDP Project 2015 campaign Council”, the letter stated in part. The spokesman of the group regretted that despite assurances by the State PDP Reconciliation Committee headed by Senator Anietie Okon and the State PDP Integration/Harmonization Committee headed by former deputy governor, Patrick Ekpotu that the group will be refunded its expenses and compensated, Governor Emmanuel was yet to do so. He also said the governor has failed to heed to the appeals of some traditional rulers in the state for the President of the group to be appointed as special assistant to the governor as a reward for his sacrifices to actualize Emmanuel’s first term victory. ”The commitment and sacrifices made by the leadership of this group, mostly by its president-Comrade Micah A. Jumbo, particularly, the unfortunate involvement of its president in a motor accident while returning from Okobo local government area campaign ground, wherein his car got badly damaged and the injuries sustained there from is worthy of note”, he said. Isaac Job, Uyo